China’s EV leader is quickly making a name for itself in Europe. In April, BYD outsold Tesla in Germany and the UK as sales surged in the region. With new models on the way, this looks to be just the start of BYD’s global sales run.
BYD sales outpace Tesla in Germany and the UK in April
BYD is like a freight train right now. There’s no slowing its roll. The company sold over 380,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) last month, up 21% from April 2024.
Like most Chinese automakers, BYD reports NEV sales, or electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. Since it stopped making gas-powered cars in 2022, BYD has focused entirely on EVs and PHEVs. So far, it has paid off.
For the first time in over a year, BYD’s electric vehicles outsold its plug-in models. Last month, the company sold over 195,000 electric cars (+45% YOY) and nearly 176,000 (+0%) PHEVs.
Although its EVs got most of the attention, BYD sold over 79,000 vehicles overseas last month, its fifth straight month of growth. Through April, the company has sold over 285,000 vehicles in overseas markets, more than doubling from last year.
According to the latest sales numbers released by the German federal road traffic agency, KBA, BYD even outsold Tesla in Germany, Europe’s largest auto market.
BYD sold 1,566 vehicles in Germany last month, an over eightfold (+756%) increase from April 2024. In comparison, Tesla’s sales fell 46% with just 855 cars sold in Germany last month.
Closing the gap in Europe
Through the first four months of 2025, BYD sold 2,791 vehicles (+385%) in Germany, while Tesla remains ahead at 5,820 (-60%).
And it’s not just in Germany. BYD outsold Tesla in the UK last month as well. Data from SMNT shows BYD sold 2,511 vehicles in April 2025. Tesla only sold 512 vehicles in the UK last month.
BYD is quickly closing in on Tesla in the UK. Through April, BYD sold 11,782 vehicles while Tesla’s sales reached 12,986 vehicles.
Will China’s EV leader overtake Tesla in Europe? With several new vehicles rolling out, BYD is poised to see even more demand later this year. After launching its luxury Denza brand last month, BYD’s cheapest EV, the Seagull, is set to arrive later this year.
BYD will launch the low-cost EV later this year in Europe under the name Dolphin Surf with prices starting under £20,000 ($26,000). In China, the Seagull starts at under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) and was BYD’s top seller last month with over 55,000 units sold.
According to forecasts from S&P Global Mobility, BYD’s sales are expected to double in Europe from 83,000 last year to 186,000 in 2025. By 2029, that number could reach upwards of 400,000.
As it looks to drive growth this year, BYD is aggressively expanding overseas. BYD’s fourth car transport ship, the “BYD Shenzhen,” officially set sail last week with enough room for 9,200 vehicles. It is now the world’s largest.
